Refrigerator



Oct. 20, 1931. E. 1.. HO RLACHE R 1,827,749

REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A X. B

a 1 v a M M 5 v n 1 Oct.20, 1931. E; L. HORLACHEFQ REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. '29, 1926' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III- I 3 m attozmq Patented Oct 20,1931

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE memmn CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATOR a ucamnmea. October as, 1928. Serial are. 145,078.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and particularly to the operation of the mechanism for such apparatus. Smooth running, noiseless and vibrationless refrigerators are desirable for domestic use inasmuch as these machines are usually placed in close proximity to the living quarters of the user. i

The primary object of the present invention is to eliminate noise and vibration in the refrigerator. This object is achieved by mounting the moving members ,of the machine upon a platform supported on a base by means of cushionin devices, the said members being connecte with the stationary elements of'the machine by means of flexible couplings.

Further objects and advantages of the resent invention will be apparent from the ollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

" Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator F ig. 2 is atransverse section through the refrigerator cabinet showing the refrigeratin unit mounted therein;

' ig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the mounting platform with oneof the spring cushioning devices attached;

' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet showing the refrig- 'erating unit in side elevation; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken through the end of the mounting platform axially of the cushioning devices.

. Referring to the drawings, the refrigerator cabinet comprises corner osts having the four side walls 21 secured thereto. The front side wall has an opening provided with a door 22 which opens to the cooling chamber. Above this door the front. wall is provided 'with louvres 23 for directing the air into the chamber in which the refrigerating unit is mounted.

Within the refrigerator there is rovided a frame, comprisin members 24 w ich forms a ledge upon whic the base 25 of the refrigerating umt rests when in position in the refrigerator cabinet. On this base there are provided two brackets26 secured thereto, in

spaced relation, by studs 27. One of these brackets has one portion'thereof secured to the base 25 by a rod 28, having an enlarged head portion 29 which rests against the foot portion of the bracket 26, a portion of said rod extending through the base 25 and havmg a clampin nut ,66 secured thereto, rigidly to hold the racket in position on the base. Post 28 extends upwardly beyond the head portion for purposes to be described.

Surrounding the screw studs 27 and the head 29 of the post 28 are discs 30 made up of suitable soft rubber material, said discs being l glrovided with metal caps 31 having upwa y extending flanges 32. Each one of these metal caps 31 have one end of a s ring 33 resting thereupon. The other end ofeacn of these springs supports a mounting platform 34, said platform having an aperture provided with a flange fitting inside of the spring and tending to hold the spring in position on the platform. A central aperture 35 in the platform has a screw stud 36 extending therethrough, one end of said screw stu being secured to a 26 which is para] el to and lies in juxtaposition with the mounting plate 34.- The screw stud 36 has a wing nut 38 which may be operated to engage the mounting platform 34 and move it downwardly against the par' allel portion 37 of the bracket 26 thereby to com ress the cushioning springs 33 and thus rigi ly holds the mounting platform on said parallel portion. The s ring resting upon the'metallic cap of the ru ber disc whlch surrounds the head 29 of the post 28 has the post extending therethrough, said post also rtion 37 of the bracket is mounted, extends into close extending through a bushing 39 provided in the mountin plate. This bushing acts as'a means for ho ding the platform engaging end of this spring'in position. The post 28 'extends loosely through this bushing 39 and has a spring 40 surrounding it, the one endof the spring resting against the upper surface of the mounting platform 34 as regards Fig. 5, the opposite end of the spring being engaged by the washer 41 held in adjusted position relative to post 28 by means of a nut 42. Adjustment of the nut 42 will vary the pressure of the spring 40 on the mounting platform. v

The compressor 45 of the refrigerating de-' vice is supported on the mounting platform 34 and adjacent this compressor and also mounted on the platform is the driving member in the form of an electric motor 46. A belt 47 connects the pulley 48 of the electric motor with the pulley 49 ,of the compressor.

' It may be stated here that the cushioning member including springs 33 and 40 and the post 28 extending through said sprnigs, is located adjacent the pulley on the driven member or compressor. l

The mot-or shaft upon which the pulley 48 proximity of the louvres 43, the end of the shaft adjacent these louvres having a fan 50 secured thereto, which, when the unit is operating, tends to draw air through the louvres and directs it against the condenser coils 51.

The condenser coils 51 are rigidly supported on the base 25 by upright members, which include brackets 52, one for each coil loop.

. Referring to Fig. 2 it may be seen that some of the loops as shown by the numeral 53 are longer than the loops designated by the numeral v54. This provides a space through which the motor shaft extends, this space being of sufiicient size' to permit movement of said shaft due to vibratory motion of the mounting platform.

In Fig.4 the loop 55 connects with the condenser .45, said loop 55 being so con-, structed and arranged that the vibrations of the condenser 45 tending to bend the loop will have no ill effects on the condenser. Suflicient louvres are provided above and below the axial plane of the fan 50 so that even though the fan moves out of its horizontal axial plane it still will be in alignment with air in-letting louvres. Y

The evaporator placed beneath the base 25 and in rigid relation thereto receives liquid refrigerantfrom the condenser 51 and returns the evaporated refrigerant through the looped pipe 61. The pipe 61, similar to pipe 55, does not transmit the vibrations of the compressor 45 to the base 2 From the above description it may be seen that the mounting platform supporting the drivingmotor and condenser is resiliently supported on a rigid base by means of cushioning devices which include springs having their ends secured to separate vibration absorbing elements in the form ofrubber discs. To resist t e liftin of the latform being rigidly mounted and the compressor bein resiliently mounted, the loop 55 by its pecu iar construction provides aflexible connection between the condenser and the compressor, thereby substantially eliminating any ill effects to the condenser. r

This peculiar construction also permits removal of the entire refrigerating unit without the necessity of disconnecting any members. I While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it-is understood that other forms might be, adopted, all coming within the scope of the'claims which follow. What is claimed is as follows: -1. In a refrigerator, the combination with a cabinet including a chamber for receiving a refrigerating'unit; a base rigidly supporte in said cabinet; a platform supporting a driving and a driven member; cushioning devices resiliently supporting the platform on the base; a cooling fan mounted on a shaft extending from the driving member; louvres providediin the cabinet adjacentthe cooling fan; and a condenser coil rigidly supported on the base and connected with the driven member, said coil having the fan shaft extending therethrough the convolution of the coil being so constructed and arranged as to permit the vibratory movement of the driving and driven members, relative to the condenser coil and cabinet.

2. In a refrigerator; the combination with a cabinet; 9. refrigerating unit resiliently mounted in said cabinetpa condenser rigidly mounted in the cabinet; and a flexible connection between the pefrig'erating the condenser to permit relative movement between the two.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination with a cabinet; a refrigerating unit including a unit and rmitting supported on the platform; cushioning devices supporting the platform on the cabinet; resilient means for restin upon the platform for resisting movement 0 the platform away from the cabinet; a condenser in rigid relation to said cabinet and a flexible connection for interchan e of refrigerant between said condenser am? said com ressor.

In testimony whereo I hereto aflix my signature.

ELMER L. HORLACHER. 

